“Jenna’s coming? She’s bringing Evie, right?” My mom asked, a little more excitedly.
“She didn’t say. But, if I had to guess, yes. I don’t think she would leave Evie.”
My mom’s smile was slowly coming back. “Maybe I will get lucky and your brother will tag along. I just hate that he’s all the way in California.”
Ugh! I hope not. But I kept that thought to myself. My mom didn’t need to know that I was more afraid to tell my brother I was pregnant than I was her. I said, “He’s doing what he loves mom. It’s not like you never see him. I think we have seen him more in the last few years than we did the whole time he was in high school.”
Nodding, my mom stood and said, “Sweetie, I have a few errands I need to run today. You’re welcome to join.”
I frowned. “No thanks, mom. I think I will call my student advisor and start talking about taking a semester off.”
“Just a semester? I don’t want you changing your life just because you’re having a baby. I will help any way possible so you can finish med school. I want you to achieve your dream.”
I stood up and smiled. “Yes, mom. Just one semester so I can have the baby and recover. I plan to go back for spring semester.”
“Good.” Grabbing her purse off the table she was out the door and waving bye.
“Cobie Nayler?” The nurse called from the doorway.
Standing, I took a deep breath. My mom and Jenna followed me into the small room.
“Ok, Miss Nayler, I need you to remove your skirt and panties. You can use this sheet to cover with until the doctor examines you.”
I took the sheet from the nurse and smiled. “Thank you.”
She gave a polite smile back and said, “You’re welcome. Good luck, Miss Nayler.”
Once the nurse left my room I looked at my mom who looked like she was on the verge of tears. And Jenna, who looked just as nervous as me.
“Honey, you going to take your clothes off or are you going to see if the doctor has x-ray vision?” My mom tried joking but I could hear the sadness in her voice.
“I just needed a second, mom. I feel like I could vomit any minute.”
Mom and Jenna both laughed. Jenna said, “That would be morning sickness, doll. Sucks ass. Evie about killed me. But it gets better after a few months.”
My eyes widened. “Months of feeling like this? Nobody said anything about feeling like total shit.”
Mom pursed her lips. “Pregnancy is amazing but it is also pure hell. Get used to it.”
Huffing, I yanked down my skirt and panties, not caring if my mom and Jenna saw.
Hopping onto the exam table, I yanked the sheet and covered my legs. Just as I got the sheet in place there was a single knock on my door before it was opening and my doctor was saying, “Hello, Miss Nayler, I’m Dr. Fleming. How are you?”
Putting on a fake smile, I stuck my hand out, “Hi. I would be great if it wasn’t for feeling like I got hit by a truck.”
I could see the humor in his eyes. “Yes, well it’s all part of the process but I have been told once you’re holding your baby you forget all about feeling bad.”
“I hope. This sucks,” I said truthfully.
Dr. Fleming chuckled. “Well, we will see if we can get you some medicine to help you feel better.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m going to have you go ahead and lay back, letting your legs drop as far apart as you can. You may feel some discomfort but I’m just checking to see how far along you are.”
Dr. Fleming looked up at me and said, “You feel to be a day or two over nine weeks. We should be able to hear the heartbeat and then I will send you to ultrasound to get a definite due date.”
Chewing on the inside of my cheek I nodded. “Ok.”
I was going to hear my baby. I was going to see my baby.
Holy shit.
Dr. Fleming pulled out a small radio looking thing with a rod hooked to it at one end. Grabbing a small bottle he said, “This gel may be a little cold, sorry.”
He pulled my shirt up, exposing my belly and squirted the cold jelly on my belly, giving me a cold chill.
I shut my eyes and waited. Then, I heard it. The most amazing sound in the world. The sound of my baby.
Feeling a tear slide down my face I reached up and swiped it away. Opening my eyes I looked at my mom who had tears filling her eyes. Jenna was smiling ear to ear.
I raised up on my elbows and asked, “Does it sound good?”
Dr. Fleming brought his eyes to mine and said, “Your baby sounds perfect. Now let’s get you set up across the hall so we can see your little baby and get you a due date.”
Dr. Fleming left so I could get dressed and my nurse walked us across the hall to the where ultrasound technician was waiting for us.
“Hi, Cobie. My name is Connie. Go ahead and take a seat on the table, raising your shirt for me.”
After I was laying on the table my mom grabbed my left hand and Jenna grabbed my right hand. I was so glad they were here. No way could I have done this alone.
Once Connie was setup she shut the light off and squirted more goo on my belly. “Let’s find that little baby of yours, shall we?”
Was I really ready to see my baby? To make this all real? Was I ready to be a mom? Could I be a mom?
Giving her a small smile I nodded.
“Ok, sweetie, just look at the screen in front of you. See this little spot?” Connie used the arrow on the screen to point to a blobby looking thing.
“Yes.”
“That’s your baby. Baby is measuring nine weeks, two days. Does that sound correct to you?”
Counting back in my head, nine weeks ago was Evie’s birthday party.
Gage was the father.
I was having a baby with the NFL’s playboy. The guy that was in love with Jenna. The guy I told we would have one night and go our separate ways. How the hell do I tell him this? Oh, hey Gage. Remember opening night of your bar? Well, gotcha! I was just kidding about the one night thing. Guess what…you’re going to be a dad! One night just turned into eighteen years! Jokes on you, buddy!
Staring at the screen, at the tiny little blob I slowly nodded my head. “Gage and I are having a baby.”
Jenna squeezed my hand, tears sliding down her face. “He’s going to make an amazing father.”
Connie moved her wand around until the room was filled with the swishing sound again. “That’s your baby’s heartbeat, a strong one hundred and seventy six.
Handing me a few paper towels Connie instructed me to clean up then handed me five little pictures of my baby.
“Dr. Fleming would like to see you in four weeks. Before you leave just stop at the front desk and they can schedule your appointment.”
“Ok, thank you.”
Seeing my baby made everything real. Made my baby real. Made what happened between Gage and me real.
How do I tell Gage that I’m having his baby?
I made my appointment and walked to my mom’s car in a daze. Before I realized we were pulling into the driveway.
Before telling Gage, I somehow had to tell my over protective brother what was going on. I have never been afraid of my brother. Until now. I wasn’t sure how he would react.
Walking into my house I saw Larkin sitting on the couch with a sleeping Evie.
Looking up Larkin smiled. “You going to tell me why we had to fly all the way out here, now?”
Avoiding eye contact I sat down across from him. Mom and Jenna sat beside him, each one on either side. Almost as if they knew he was going to explode and wanted to be there to hold him down. To stop him from killing me.
I just needed to tell him, get it over with. Just rip the Band-Aid off. “I’m pregnant,” I mumbled.
Nothing. I looked up and saw his dark brown eyes glaring at me. “You’re what?”